Saturday, January 25, 2020
Explain How Rational Organisational Design Business Essay
Explain How Rational Organisational Design Business Essay Rational organisational designs, suggested by Max Weber, rely on logic, order and authority, paying particular attention to the division of labour, promotion by merit and hierarchal control; with the belief that this provides perfection in organisations (French et al, 2009). Organisations implement this design with the optimism of increased efficiency; however, have dismissed social organisation and the impacts this can have. In this essay, rationalisation will be discussed, focusing on the effects it has on an organisation and its employees; concluding with the argument of whether a rational organisational design is desirable for Junction Hotel. Scientific management, established by Frederick Taylor, aims to simplify work by following set principles. These principles routinize work; organising it into repetitive tasks in order to achieve maximum efficiency, giving managers responsibility and a span of control, (Morgan, 2006). TAYLORISM Rational organisational designs develop depending on the size of the business they are used with in. The simple design is often used within organisations with few staff, such as small retail stores. This type of design often has one member of staff, usually the manager, in control of the majority of other employees; the hierarchy design resembling a pyramid, showing the manager has a large span of control. This span of control shifts all responsibility for the organisation of work from the worker to the manager according to Morgan (2006), meaning employees only have to implement the work which is assigned to them by the manager. BUREAUCARCY As a business grows a more complex rational organisational design has to be enforced to ensure that efficiency is still maximised. The more intricate design is known as bureaucracy. The bureaucracy design uses the same principle of the simple design, although has a larger number of managerial staff and specific working departments, developing the chain of command. Bureaucracy design uses more rules and regulations than the simple design, due to the increased number of employees which have authority over other employees. This is so that there is a clear direction of discipline, resulting in all employees knowing who is in charge. This direction is the scalar chain; showing the line of authority due to the unity of command. Also it makes clear what each worker has to achieve, due to it being established by the specific departments. This also means that training for this specific job can be completed by workers, making them more efficient. This is of importance to rational organisations ; for instance, the McDonaldization theory established by Ritzer (2008) states that efficient workers can perform their tasks more rapidly and easily. This is also achieved in bureaucracies by working like clockwork; having staff perform a predetermined set of activities, rest at appointed hours, and then resume their tasks until work is over, as described by Morgan (2006). This is a typical example of how bureaucracies are designed to function. Businesses which have these design characteristics are described by Morgan (2006) as organisations that are designed and operated as if they were machines. It is argued that rational organisational designs help to cut costs and increase control for a business, overall maximising efficiency and having a positive impact on the business; evidenced by various real-life organisations. A typical example of a business today which has used a rational organisational design to achieve this is McDonalds. Ritzer (2008) helps to highlight the effectiveness of the organisational design McDonalds has implemented by quoting Ray Krocs thoughts on the arrangement; I was fascinated by the simplicity and effectiveness of the systemà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦ Each step in producing the limited menu was stripped down to its essence and accomplished with a minimum effortà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦ This statement from Kroc identifies that McDonalds streamlined processes and organisation has maximised efficiency. By producing limited number of menu choices the business is able to assign set tasks to specified departments, to be completed at a set time; routinizing work. This increases control as the higher authority staff can over-see that the departments are completing their set tasks to ensure the food is made quickly and efficiently in order for customers to receive fast food from McDonalds. Also, by off ering a limited menu, McDonalds cuts costs and as suggested by Ritzer (2008) the limited number of menu items also allows for highly efficient ordering of food and supplies; the business does not use cash buying items which will be wasted due to fall in demand from customers and there is no extension of the streamlined process meaning the employment of further staff or purchase of equipment or supplies. Hotels such as the Travelodge have used rationalisation, in terms of value engineering. Davis (2007) states that businesses, such as the Travelodge, participate in an exercise called value management to optimise their process, trim costs and enhance quality. Value engineering is a result of this activity; where businesses cut costs by taking out the frills which not all customers want. For instance Davis (2007) focuses on how Travelodges dont have shampoo in the bathroom. By following this constituent of rationalisation, the organisation cuts costs, however does not necessarily reduce value for the customer as the business, like Travelodge, will have already weighed up cost versus benefit. The above examples show how rational organisational design is present in businesses today. However, it was first derived in the 1700s by Frederick the Great. Morgan (2006) talks about how Frederick developed rational organisation to increase control amongst his military. Frederick reduced soldiers to automatons by introducing ranks and uniformsà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦regulations, increased specialization of tasksà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦command language and systematic trainingà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦ By introducing these to the army, the men were taught to fear their officers; increasing the control that the higher ranks of the hierarchy had over the lower ranks. This turned the unruly mob into machines as they now completed commands set by Frederick. This is an example of how rationalisation has increased control, even in the earliest organisations. Despite rational organisational designs evidentially showing positives for businesses, there are likewise negative impacts on both the organisation and workers. If a business implements a rational organisation design then limitations do arise. These are addressed by Morgan (2006); there is great difficulty in adapting to changing circumstances, Ritzer (2008) states that although efficiency is generally a good thing it does cause dehumanization of workers as businesses drive for increased efficiency. This is evidenced an Anonymous BBC article (2010) stating that Bureaucracy hampers social workers', with a fifth of 4,141 social workers agreeing that they had sufficient time to work effectively with the young people on their case load and 50% of those who disagreed said that their workload was simply too large. This is related to the bureaucracy that the organisation has. Staff find it harderà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦to spend time face-to-face with children and families due to the organisational design. This makes the workers feel dehumanized because they have too much paperwork, and not enough time to concentrate on the cases they should be dealing with. This is also supported by Morgan (2006) who states that mechanistic approachesà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦can have dehumanizing effects upon employees, especially those at the lower levels of the or ganizational hierarchy and also that assembly-line work is simplyà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦alienating. Mechanistic work, which stems from rational organisation also makes staff adopt mindless, unquestioning attitudes, which consequently results in some workers refusing job change, or a new responsibility because they have already a clear idea what is to be done by them due to the management and delegation rationalisation. Looking at this impact in the long term, it is likely that an organisation will find it difficult to change the bureaucracy it has already developed, causing changes in aims for the business also hard to achieve. This is another limitation of rational designs, which is suggested by Morgan (2006) when declaring those working in the organization take precedence over the goals the organization was designed to achieve. The theories and studies behind social organisation also show some negative impacts that rationalisation has. POSTIVE AND NEGATIVES ON BUSINESS/EMPLOYEES ARGUMENT USING SOCIAL DESIGNS IS IT DESIRABLE FOR JUNCTION HOTEL HOW? WHY? ENFORCING IT?
Friday, January 17, 2020
Team Building and Group
2. 1 Tuckman's forming storming norming performing model One of the most common and useful models of team management in todayââ¬â¢s organization is Dr Bruce Tuckmanââ¬â¢s stages of team development. This model was published in the 1987 in five stages of forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning. As seen in figure 1, this model demonstrate how, as team develop skills, knowledge, and attitude over time, their productivity also increase (Barker, 2011). This part of the group report reviews the performance of our group work according to the stages of Tuckmanââ¬â¢s model.Figure 1 Tuckman's team development method 2. 1. 1 Forming Stage This stage is the initial orientation period. The members are not fully clear about the aims and the way of achieving the goals, members do not know each other and otherââ¬â¢s abilities yet and are not familiar with the way the team leader and other members functions. This phase is complete if the members start to see themselves as a part of a group. (Barker, 2011) Judging against other groups in this stage, there were meetings held before the activity date, For instance, one of the groups wore blue t-shirts with name badges.Our group had the first meeting at Mount Cotton before the initial activity started and some of our group members were meeting for the first time. Nevertheless, we introduced ourselves, get to know each other and discuss our work experience, study background, and interest. In this time we decided to create and form the work packages and designate responsibilities amongst each other. 2. 1. 2 Storming stage In this phase, members are sorting out their place as team members.After the first stage, members are now more comfortable to work and communicate with each other, sharing their opinion and challenging the team leaderââ¬â¢s authority and advices. In addition, some members may become dissatisfied with working with others which may lead to some challenges. This stage of group development i s the start of intergroup conflicts. (Barker, 2011) Each member of our group is from different backgrounds which made it difficult to decide and split the tasks amongst us in order to initiate this stage.For example, we had member with work experience and study backgrounds in industrial, civil engineering and architecture. The resolution that was found was divided by work packages in relation to our interest and study background. In addition to this we separate each task into two parts and formed two smaller groups who could work with eachother efficiently. 2. 1. 3 Norming stage; When conflict is established and resolved members will feel comfortable with themselves and each member will accept each otherââ¬â¢s wants and needs.Here norms have been developed, trust is high, individual skill can be efficiently developed, and procedures for operation are clear. (Barker, 2011) Our group consists of different culture backgrounds and ways of thinking which contributed to the difficulty of understanding each member views and using our differences in a useful way so that trust can be built. After working with the group it was found that our differences were useful and helpful to develop ideas. 2. 1. 4 Performing stage;This stage is where you can turn a work group into a team. Conflict happens when the group starts to deal with the main issues. Disagreement in a group can be desirable and inevitable. These disagreements need to be dealt with by the group to move them towards a climate where this can be useful, helpful and purposeful. When dealt with correctly the conflict allows the group to look at all the views and evaluate different points of views. The team wonââ¬â¢t be able to progress if the conflict is avoided.Conflict is essential as it leads the group to shared solutions to problems (Barker, 2011). This stage was achieved by high performance and working well together as a group. By achieving this we had to have some ideas to know how to work together. We had to look at other groups to learn more and in some cases shared our experiences to other groups. For example, there was a group who was trying to achieve a solution in the wrong and our group helped them to change their primary ideas and suggested another idea for them.Finally, by gaining some idea and mixing with the other groups, we went back to work and could solve problems quickly without deliberations. 2. 2 How well we performed as a team and what improvements do we need to make (Recommendation) Katzenback and smith (1993) observed necessity of following approaches in successful teams. 1. Establish urgency, demanding performance standards and direction 2. Selecting members for skills and skill and skill potential, not personality 3. Paying particular attention to first meeting and actions 4.Setting some clear rules and expectations for behaviour 5. Setting and seizing on several immediate performance-oriented goals and tasks 6. Challenging the group regularly, with fresh inf ormation 7. Spending time together on work and nonworking activities 8. Exploiting the power of positive feedback, recognition, and rewards. By following the eight item stated by katesenback in figure 2 which displays the strengths and what needs improvement within the teamwork with red representing what needs to be improved and blue representing strengths of group activity.As you can see the majority of items 3 and 7 show what needs to be improved within the group. These items came at the first stages of group building and teamwork. To solve this problem we had to talk to get other inputs from other groups to ensure we were on the right track. This became a consistent problem throughout the group work where every aspect of the decisions was decided last minute. The strengths can be seen when issues were resolved as discussed earlier in the conflict stage where solutions were achieved.These strengths can be seen in setting the tasks, challenging the team with fresh information and i ssuing positive recognition and feedback. Firstly the improvements on communication between the group members are essential in establishing directions and performance standards. Secondly improving participation in group meetings is crucial to achieve the goal of the tea. Lastly, assessing, indentifying and establishing behaviours earlier are essential in order to avoid problems further into the activity. 3. 0 team thinking
Thursday, January 9, 2020
Childhood Obesity Affects The Children s Emotional Health
Childhood obesity has been a crucial global concern for the past years, especially in the United States. Obesity within children has become a concern because it can develop multiple health risks. Although some of the health risks can be treated, there are many that could follow them for a lifetime. Some of the health risks could be minor, but many of the health issues are deadly. Childhood obesity has been related to affecting the majority of the childââ¬â¢s main body systems. For example, childhood obesity could affect the pulmonary, muscular, skeletal, and cardiovascular systems. A United States government publication called Childhood Obesity Facts, acknowledges that, ââ¬Å"Children with obesity are at higher risk for having other chronic healthâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦However, it is interpreted differently, because children grow and develop in very different ways as they mature. A childââ¬â¢s BMI is calculated with the formula used for adults, but there are no set ran ges to indicate that he or she is underweight or overweight. Instead, childrenââ¬â¢s BMIs are compared on growth charts with those of other children of the same age and gender (Loonin 3). In the article Review of childhood obesity: from epidemiology, etiology, and comorbidities to clinical assessment and treatment, Kumar states that, ââ¬Å"Some experts recommend classifying obesity in 3 classes: class 1 obesity (BMI at or above 95th percentile to less than 120% of the 95th percentile), class 2 (BMI at or above 120% to less than 140% of the 95h percentile), and class 3 (BMI at or above 140% of the 95th percentileâ⬠(Kumar 2). There are many factors that have to be taken for granted when figuring out whether a child is obese or not. Both Loonin and Kumar state that it is important to take into consideration the many factors that could affect how obesity is measured within children. Additionally, the connection found between childhood obesity and the marketing of the food industry in the American Psychological Associationââ¬â¢s article The Impact of Food Advertising on Childhood Obesity is intriguing because it has been found that the advertisement of fast food may affect childhood obesity. The marketing of food industries has an impact on childhood obesity because fast foodShow MoreRelatedChildhood Obesity Is A Growing Epidemic1297 Words à |à 6 PagesChildhood obesity is a growing epidemic. The UK has estimated through their schoolsââ¬â¢ National Child Measurement Program that one-third of the children there are overweight, and by 2050 that number could rise to an alarming two-thirds (Phillips 2). There are many uncontrollable factors in childhood obesity such as the environment, income and genetics. However, parents are the most overlooked factor. Our childrenââ¬â¢s futures, with regard to their eating habits, are in the hands of their parents. UltimatelyRead MoreThe Importance of Physical Activity Essay1545 Words à |à 7 PagesThe teaching profession plays a fundamental role in educating children. Some of which include physical activity Teachers engage in many roles in studentââ¬â¢s learning, some of which are more challenging and important than others and all which contribute to a childââ¬â¢s development. The process of childhood development is dynamic, recognised by various fields including the influential society, inherited characteristics through genetics, and the psychological behaviour of the child. These fields all playRead MoreEssay on Preventing Childhood Obesity in Australia1427 Words à |à 6 Pagesdecades, the prevalence of obesity in children has risen greatly worldwide. Obesity in childhood causes a wide range of serious complications, and increases the risk of premature illness and death later in life, raising public-health concerns.â⬠(Ebbeling, Pawlak Ludwig, 2002 p.471) Currently in the Australian community and schools there is an obesity epidemic in young people with many children doing less and less physical activity then advised. ââ¬Å"In 2007-08 the National health survey, run by the AustralianRead MoreEffects Of Obesity On Children s Children1384 Words à |à 6 PagesResearch Paper: Effects of Obesity in Children ââ¬Å"From small fries to BIG MACââ¬â¢sâ⬠America, home of the brave, land of the free and plagued with obesity. For many years this country has fallen victim to obesity and the many effects that it has as a direct result. America has become the fattest nation in the world even though it is more advanced than most countries. We as Americans tend to consume whatever we want whenever we want and this has begun to affect our future. 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Childhood obesity has been problem in developed as well as in developing countries. As Cause, it is accepted that increase in obesity results from an imbalance between abnormal intake of unhealthy food and drink and also unable to burn calorie. There is increasingRead MoreChildhood Obesity : Argentina, Argentina1586 Words à |à 7 Pages Childhood Obesity in Buenos Aires, Argentina Malaijah D. Thompson University of California, Los Angeles Childhood Obesity in Buenos Aires, Argentina There are many indicators of poverty. One indicator of poverty is obesity; it mostly affects families in low socioeconomic levels. Obesity has become an epidemic rising across the globe. Recently, childhood obesity is becoming a prevailing problem in the urban areas in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Argentinaââ¬â¢s rates are rising at a levelRead MoreChildhood Obesity And Its Effects On Children Essay1645 Words à |à 7 PagesChildhood obesity introduce In addition to the physical harm, obesity and negative psychological impact on children. This is a high risk factors of childhood obesity, which can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Obese children always lower than that of healthy children intelligence and operators. Their activities, learning and communication ability is very low, and their depression and low self-esteem can make the children s sensitivity to interpersonalRead MoreChildhood Obesity and Its Effect1260 Words à |à 6 PagesChildhood obesity is considered to be a serious issue among our youth. Obesity can cause many types of physical problems, which most are aware of, but it can also cause some undesirable internal feelings within children and adolescents who suffer from it. Self-esteem, or self-worth, is important as it helps develop personality and is a major ingredient to our mental health status (Wang, F. and Veugelers, P. J., 2008). Some have said obesity may eve n have a negative effect on cognitive developmentRead MoreChildhood Obesity : A Big Problem1318 Words à |à 6 PagesParents do not have the time to cook for their children, not even the money to hire a maid. The only way to feed their children is going to eat at restaurants, mostly where the food is not as expensive and is done fast. ââ¬Å"Obesity contributes to the number-one cause of death in our nation: heart diseaseâ⬠(Carmona, 2003). Heart disease, the number one cause of childhood obesity in America. Parents do not realize the risks their children are being placed in. Healthy food would decrease that risk, but
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Public Health And National Security - 1421 Words
An Overview of Potential National Security Threats Public Health and National Security: Assessing Potential Threats Identifying the primary threat to U.S. national security interests is a difficult task given the pervasiveness of multiple threats of these kinds. Indeed, a number of unique threats have emerged in recent years. A variety of non-traditional concerns regarding U.S. national security should become important issues in the years ahead, and issues of these kinds should be incorporated into the overall U.S. national security strategy. One such issue is disease. The United States is now more vulnerable to epidemics of disease than it has been for quite some time in part because of the globalizationâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦One of these is the potential destabilizing effect that extensive and long term environmental damage may exercise. For example, the greater the impact of climate change, the more likely it will be that domestic unrest within the United States related to food, health, economic, and environmental difficulties will take place. The general consensus among experts in the fields that are related to environmental science is that significant climate change and other environmental difficulties are taking place, and that these will likely impact human well-being in the future. Political and economic conditions of the kind that are impacted by environmental conditions exercise an inevitable impact on national security as well (Schwartz, 1998). Bioterrorism and Economic Instability National security considerations regarding the spread of disease, and potential epidemics, and potential environmental difficulties overlap with what is presently the most significant U.S. national security concern and that is the threat of international terrorism. The genuine threat of bioterrorism means that disease related concerns and environmental concerns overlap with potential threats involving terrorism. This concern is enhanced by the possibility that terrorist organizations may be able to obtain biologically dangerous materials, and use these for destructive purposes. For example, in the early 2000s the United
Monday, December 23, 2019
The Movement Of The Negro World - 1407 Words
Introduction In a decadeââ¬â¢s time, Marcus Moziah Garvey entered United States, at the age of 28, and cultivated the American Negro through his oratory that is seen as the awaken of Black Nationalism. Garveyââ¬â¢s work does not end in America, heââ¬â¢s efforts were world-wide but not limited to Africa to Nova Scotia, and South America. It has been stated that Garvey raised more money and grew a membership than any other Negro organization to date. Coined as the Black Moses, Garveyââ¬â¢s stated ââ¬Å"I know no national boundary where the Negro is concerned. The whole world is my province until Africa is free.â⬠Garvey evoke the message to his listeners that black skin was not to be shamed but black skin exemplifies national greatness. It is stated that hisâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦I wish to further analyze how the organizing strategy with the United Negro Improvement Association has been utilized, its impact, strengths and weaknesses of the approach, contemporary relevance, and implications for practice. Biography Marcus Garvey was born to Marcus and Sarah Garvey, on August 17, 1887 in a little town named St. Annââ¬â¢s Bay in Jamaica. Hoping that one day her new born son would lead his people, his mother, Sarah, wanted to make his middle name Moses. Garveyââ¬â¢s father was not a religious man, but comprised with Moziah as Garveyââ¬â¢s middle name. His parents were of the unmixed Negro stock, and his father was of the Maroons. Maroons were descendants of Africans who fought and escaped from slavery and established free communities in the mountainous interior of Jamaica during the era of slavery. Marcus Garvey was recognized a glorified as a full-blooded black man with no taint of a white in his blood. Marcus Garvey was the youngest of eleven children. Most of his siblings died young. Marcus and his sister, Indiana, were the only two to live to maturity. The family were very well-off; however, Garvey Sr. experienced some misfortune and lost most of his property. At the age of 14, Marcu s Garvey was forced to quit school and begin working. It was too at this age that Garvey describe the first moment he heard of the term,
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Good Readers and B Free Essays
Good Readers are Re-Readers 1. The introduction ends after the first paragraph. The method of introduction that Vladimir Nabokov uses is using interesting quotes to reel the reader in. We will write a custom essay sample on Good Readers and B or any similar topic only for you Order Now 2. The thesis is that to be a good writer, you must be a good reader. This has no real location in the writing, because it is not directly said. This makes the thesis implicit. 3. The authorââ¬â¢s tone in this piece sounds very critical of writers at the beginning, but near the end his tone becomes just instructive instead. 4. The rhetorical devices Nabokov uses are plentiful in the section. He uses point of view, compare and contrast, rhetorical questions, metania, and amplification of the word reader and writer. 5. Passages that capture my attention and arouse reaction would be the third paragraph (because of its skepticism and amount of rhetorical questions), the fourth paragraph (because of its contrast of minor and real authors), the seventh (because it says what characteristics a good reader must have), and the third from last one (because of the other things a write should be, and the contrast between minor and major writers). . According to Nabokov, a good writer is one that is a good reader. He must also create a whole new world in his work, ponder how the mind works, and be an inventor, a storyteller, a teacher, and an enchanter. 7. The authorââ¬â¢s organization is when describing one aspect of being a good reader or writer, it somehow ties into the topic of the next paragraph. This is how he connects the different parts. 8. Even though there is no real conclusion to the essay, the author wraps it up by explaining the four keys to being a good author. 9. Nabokov uses humor in the essay to keep the readers attention. Examples would be when he explains the good-reader list and explaining that experiment and the examples of the boy who cried wolf. 10. Vladimir Nabokov mentions that he was on a lecture tour, which means he is an admired professor. This gives you some credibility in your mind. But, he also uses point of view, which means that the things he is saying is not the end all and be all characteristics of good readers and writers. 11. From reading this essay my reaction is more from an educational standpoint than one of emotion. I learn that that to be a good writer, I must be a good reader. I like how Vladimir is skeptical and a little cynical like myself. I also liked how he used some fluff, but it wasnââ¬â¢t enough where I was bored. I was entertained throughout the essay. How to cite Good Readers and B, Papers
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Tess Durbeyfield in Tess of the DUrbervilles and Sarah Woodruff in The French Lieutenants Woman Essay Example For Students
Tess Durbeyfield in Tess of the DUrbervilles and Sarah Woodruff in The French Lieutenants Woman Essay To be a fallen woman in Victorian society, was to be ordained sinful and would be outcast from the social world. Both authors choose to use this theme as a pivotal point in their novels. However, even though both are set in the 1800s, Fowles was writing a hundred years after Hardy. Some may say that this allows him the perspective needed to judge and make decisions. He could also draw parallels from the 1800s to his own time. In fact, one of the great ironies in Fowles novel is that while Sarah is such an innately free spirit, she is born and trapped into this intolerant, hypocritical society. He leads the reader to believe that if only Sarah were born into the liberal age of the 1960s, her spirit would be fulfilled. On the other hand, this gap of time could take away from the illusion of being written at the time that comes naturally to Hardy. As just mentioned, Fowles was writing in the 60s, a time of freedom of mind, body and soul, which is apparent in the character of Sarah, who personifies this wonderfully. Sarah prefers to be a visible social pariah rather than one who attempts to reform and assimilate into society. It is evident to the reader that Fowles had obviously studies a lot of Victorian text to get an understanding of writing techniques of the time. For instance he packs as much detail of the landscape into the opening chapter as possible, with use of references to historical findings in the places; which is not his usual writing style, redolent of seven hundred years of English history. Fowles uses incredibly long, tumbling sentences with as much detail to the setting as possible, being that largest bite from the underside of Englands outstretched south-western leg. A major difference between the two is that Hardy took a great risk in publishing this novel, as the subjects he covered such as rape were considered taboo in his time. However in doing so, he was able to draw attention to the very controversial subject of womens rights, which he felt strongly about. Fowles, on the other hand, took no such risk. Writing in the post-feminist 1960s, he was able to look in retrospect to womens liberation. Although his views are similar to Hardys, and possibly were influenced by them, there is nothing ground breaking about Fowles writing. The way in which the heroine is introduced to the reader by the author, tells us a lot about the character. Fowles does this more directly than Hardy, almost portraying Sarah as the witch on the cove. Dressed all in black, unwavering against the ocean spray, she stands like a statue Its clothes were black, this quote alone shows how Fowles wants us to view Sarah; without identity, thus foreshadowing the mystery that shrouds Sarah throughout the novel. Hardy however takes a far more subtle approach, introducing her father as a rather foolish drunkard learning of his past. Hardy purposely does this, to show us what could possibly be reason for all Tess trouble, rather than introducing the actual character first. In both of the novels, intellect is clearly a key factor to the structure. Born to be a farmers wife but educated to be something better shows that although both Tess and Sarah have been born into very poor families, they have still been educated quite well. This is then contrasted by Fowles, as Ernestina, the rich businessmans daughter is evidently a lot less deep and mature in her thoughts than either Tess or Sarah. This hints that, while Ernestina may well have had a more expensive education, she has had a lot less experience of life, and is not as intelligent; described by Charles as a pretty little thing, yet a shallow little thing. This is a sign of Fowles continuing the work that Hardy started 100 years previously, as he too was a strong supporter of womens rights, and rebelled against the class system. Fowles deliberately contrasts the character of Ernestina to Sarah to emphasise the abnormal nature of Sarah. Ernestina is described to be the height of fashion, however Sarah is not even given the privilege of being called a woman. Both Tess and Sarah are the definitive independent woman, who are happy to live alone. Spending most of her adulthood away from home, Tess worked with strangers and made friends along the way. Sarah also seems to love being along, spending many hours sitting and indeed sleeping on the cliff tops; although this is seen to be a lure for Charles, Charles was about to climb back to the path black figure appeared out of the trees. What at first appears to be a similarity between the two characters later turns out to be their biggest difference. Tess and Sarah both appear to be victims; of men, society and the universe in general. Analyzing The Story of an Hour EssayIt is not just Charles that shares his opinion of Sarah, Dr. Grogan summarises the readers thoughts on Sarah clearly when he comments that she has a warped mind. Many characters in the French Lieutenants Woman believe Sarah to not be of sound mind. In contrast we gather most of the opinions of Tess through Hardy, her bouncing handsome womanliness. A great majority of the descriptions of Tess are referring to her physical attributes, which of course is her downfall. Being physically mature beyond her years, men are attracted to her, which he see in the cases of Alec and Angel. Alec says, How loveable her face was to him. Although Hardy and Fowles do have differing styles, their messages are almost exactly the same. They have both written moralistic stories which communicate their views by showing how the pressures of society, have caused the degradation of key characters. It is the hope of success that is the main driving force of each novel, and the reader is compelled to have faith in the naive dreams of the characters as even though the characters failure is inevitable, you cant help but want them to succeed. This is more so in the case of Tess, where Hardy has created a more likeable character, thus in turn creating more sympathy and love for the character. Some critics have remarked that because of the limited perspective that Hardy gained on Victorian society, it happens so that the reader is left with a first hand view; and as Hardy is writing through Tess, the reader has the same perspective as Tess, which also helps to promote emotion and compassion for her. Hardys representation of Tess is highly sympathetic. He utilizes authorial comment in the novel to explain, justify or comment on Tess actions. He asks the responder, Why it was that upon this beautiful feminine tissue, sensitive as gossamer, and practically blank as snow as yet, there should have been traced such a coarse pattern as it was doomed to receive. Through the use of accumulation of positive attributes, such as beautiful, feminine and sensitive, it shows that Hardy values women. He sees that women are victims of men and challenges the values of Victorian society. Even from the titles of the chapters uses derogatory terms, such as Maiden no more and The Woman Pays, shows that after Tess was raped by Alec, she is no longer classified as a maiden. The title The Woman Pays also emphasises that even if Angel and Tess carry out the same acts, it is the woman who ends up in paying for the wrong doing. Hardy was able to pose his opinions in a far subtler way by adding them into a story rather than announcing them publicly. He was probably able to reach a far greater audience using this method. Fowles uses his novel in much the same way, but instead of hiding his views behind a story, he actively removes the narrator and poses arguments straight. This method allows the reader to actually consider the opinions of the author, rather than just accepting the subliminal suggestions of Hardy. John Fowles and Thomas Hardy both write on very similar subjects; their stories circulate around very strong, rebellious women who are fighting the social conformities set down by their male oppressors. Fowles tells the story from the point of view of Charles, and hence we do not gain full insight into Sarahs thoughts, making it difficult to connect and understand her as a character. This is Fowles downfall as you cant feel emotion for a character if you do not understand what they are thinking; which strikes the question, is Sarah actually realistic as a 19th century heroine as Fowles himself does not display sympathy for his own character. Hardy presents Tess as a very moral person from the very beginning of the novel, and in displaying her as a genuinely good person which generate the feeling of tragedy around her. Fowles presents Sarah as a miss guided, trouble individual, not even sure of her self, with a questionable mental state; a strange character that does not possess the power to evoke much emotion from the reader. These two heroines both depict a stance in Victorian society, however in very different ways; Sarah through illustrating the division between class, and Tess through her portrayal of the unfairness of Victorian morality.
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